Remembering Not Laboring on Labor Day

Growing up on Lake Michigan, Labor Day always signaled the end of summer.  The first leaves turned at the top of a particular tree every year beginning in August.  Crisp blue skies were the backdrop of the charcoal bottomed clouds ready to whisk in the next season.  No parades marked this holiday it was just an end.  An end of summer fun, summer clothes and summer friends.  Crisp air was a morning handshake.   Shetland wood cableknits were a daily staple – always monogrammed in those days.  The summer people or “fudgies” closed up their cottages and put their toys away.   Summer was over, forget what the calendar said the change was already on.

The famous Northern Michigan “NM” sailing sloop are a familiar sight in Harbor Springs.  Originally handcrafted in the 1930’s as a boat for racing and pleasure.  For more information on the NM scroll down the page on  The Little Traverse Yacht Club website, it is an interesting story.

For me Labor Day is still about the end of summer – or in my case the end of all those great pretty colors as we go into my least favorite season and the colors of muddy brown, hot orange, burnt red and dirty green.

What are your thoughts on Labor Day?